Mattel’s Barbie and Harlem’s Fashion Row are making a statement in the name of New York high fashion.
In a fresh collaboration, the two are celebrating the works of three Black fashion designers with a new editorial for Black History Month.
The project will shine a light on the luxurious styles of Black designers Hanifa, Kimberly Goldson, and Rich Fresh.
Barbie has created doll-sized replicas of the designers’ original looks in an ongoing effort to advance diversity and inclusion.From her Fall/Winter 2021 collection, Hanifa’s look, designed by founder, Anifa Mvuemba, combines elegance and opulence. Her doll will model her blue ‘Brooklynn’ patent leather coat with a pair of thigh-high white boots. Mvuemba describes the opportunity as a “dream come true.”
“Who didn’t love Barbie as a little girl?! I loved my Barbie Dream House with the most perfect elevator; it gave me the chance to dream in real life,” said Mvuemba in a statement, according to WWD.
“I’m so thankful for this opportunity to connect to my childhood, and I’m happy to see that little Black girls everywhere can see themselves starting with their favorite toy.”
Sister-duo Kimberly Goldson and Shelly Powell, founders of Goldson, will be showcasing a “Mari” multi-layered dress and the copper metallic “Lizzette” shorts from the Spring 2022 collection, dubbed “Blissful Evolution.”
“It is powerful of Barbie to use her platform to help bridge the gap on the way we look at people of various shades and from different backgrounds,” Goldson explained. “That made it important for me to partner with her to wear Kimberly Goldson for Black History Month. I chose a look that personifies the KG aesthetic, which is born of our Brooklyn culture and driven by luxury. She’s ready for Bed-Stuy!”
The last-styled look is the brainchild of designer Patrick Henry, known professionally as “Fresh,” owner of Rich Fresh. Barbie is outfitted in a tracksuit from his 2021 winter collection, which he describes as “luxeleisure.” Fresh believes in the power of representation and deems it necessary for creatives and kids.
“What drew me to the Barbie project the most is the level of inclusivity I saw in the Barbie universe.
“There’s Barbies for everybody. Deliberately, I knew this would be a project I could get involved with. It’s important for kids of all cultures to see themselves. Representation is vital. Involving Black creatives gives us the opportunity to contribute to the narrative. The significance of doing this during Black History Month is important, but what’s more important is the continued efforts to involve creatives of all backgrounds to help represent themselves within the Barbie universe,” Fresh said.